Native UK orchids are fascinating and dazzling plants to introduce to a garden, meadow or orchard. You can add them to a wildflower area in your lawn, put them in flower beds or even grow them in large patio pots. There are plants for all soil types and the commoner orchid species all like an open position but are happy with a little shade cast by neighbouring plants. If they are going in a pot avoid exposing them to the full heat of the summer sun and don’t let them dry out. If you allow them to set seed each plant will produce 1000s of tiny seeds. Most gardens will have the necessary soil fungi present to allow the seeds of the more common species to germinate and so your plants will spread by themselves. However, seed to flowering takes at least 3 years and may take much longer than that.
Growing Dactylorhizas and other winter-dormant orchids
These notes apply to Dactylorhiza, Gymnadenia, Platanthera and include Common spotted orchid, Southern marsh orchid, Northern marsh orchid, fragrant orchids and the butterfly orchids.
These are all perennial plants and are fully hardy in the UK, though plants in pots may be vulnerable to low winter temperatures.
The rosette of leaves appears in spring and is followed by flowering and then seed setting. The whole plant dies back in early autumn and is dormant through the winter. Plant out at the beginning or end of the dormancy period i.e. early autumn or early spring. If your plants have a growing tip but no leaves, plant with the tip 2cm below the surface. if it has a rosette of leaves, keep the rosette just above soil level so that water doesn’t collect around the centre point. All species will tolerate full sun if planted in the ground, in pots beware of them overheating or drying out. If planted into lawn or grassland it should be under a management regime for a wildflower meadow. For planting in grassland or a garden bed, make a slit with a spade and slide the plant in keeping the main root vertical. Pour in a little well drained growing mix (see below) and close up the slit. If planting in a pot make it quite a large pot to avoid the roots getting frosted over the winter and use one of the growing mixes below. Pots may be moved into an unheated greenhouse or coldframe during the winter and watered sparingly to just keep the compost moist.
Use a well drained growing mix of 2 parts potting compost, 2 parts perlite, 1 part grit, 1 part sieved garden soil. For neutral / alkaline loving plants the potting compost should be peat free and you may also add a sprinkling of dolomite. For acid loving plants the compost should be peat-based and the soil neutral or acid.
There are orchids in the group for all soil types.
| Alkaline/neutral well-drained grassland | Common spotted orchid (D fuchsii) Fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopsia) |
| Alkaline/neutral damp grassland | Common spotted orchid (D fuchsii), Southern marsh orchid (D praetermissa) Northern marsh orchid (D purpurella) |
| Alkaline wet meadows and fens | Marsh fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia densiflora) |
| Acidic/neutral damp grassland and heath
|
Heath spotted orchid (D maculata) Northern marsh orchid(D purpurella) Southern marsh orchid (D praetermissa) |
Growing Anacamptis and other winter-green orchids
These notes apply to orchids such as Anacamptis, Orchis, Spiranthes and Ophrys and includes Bee orchid, Pyramidal orchid, Autumn lady’s tresses and Green-winged orchid.
These are all perennial plants and are fully hardy in the UK, though plants in pots may be vulnerable to low winter temperatures.
The leaves emerge in early autumn and grow slowly throughout the winter. In spring they will flower, set seed and then in around June the leaves and flower stem will die back and the plant goes into a few months of dormancy. The leaves will reappear in September.
When planting in the soil in a flower bed or grassland, all species listed above require full sun except the Early purple orchid (Orchis mascula) which will do well in light deciduous shade or sun. If you are keeping your plants in containers they will want a position with good light but out of the heat of midday summer sun, which may be too hot and drying for them in a container. You should use a very well drained compost mix of 2 parts potting compost, 2 parts perlite, 1 part grit, 1 part sieved garden soil. For alkaline loving plants the potting compost should be peat free and you may also add a sprinkling of dolomite.
Pots should be topped with 1cm of grit to keep the neck of the orchid well aerated. The pots should be kept almost dry from June to September and not allowed to overheat. In September they should be watered again or moved outside and they will produce their new leaves.
If you are planting out into a wildflower meadow they require a well drained nutrient-poor alkaline/neutral soil and are often seen on chalky soils, but do not necessarily need chalk. They will require a short sward restricted by the low nutrient soil. In the garden they can go into a well drained rockery or raised bed. Planting out into grassland can be done during dormancy by lifting a 3cm thick patch of turf, loosening the soil and planting below and replacing the turf. When they are in leaf they can be planted into a hole made with a bulb planter. The hole should be refilled with the well drained potting compost mix, leaving the rosette uncovered. The area should then be under a management regime for a wildflower meadow and stock should only be allowed to graze during the dormancy period June – September.